Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa accepted full responsibility after his team’s shock Copa del Rey defeat at Albacete. He defended his squad, insisting he would make the same lineup decisions again.
“Here at this club, a draw is always a bad result, a tragedy,” Arbeloa said. What happened in Albacete went far beyond that. A resounding defeat against a team sitting just above the relegation zone in Spain’s Segunda División, yet one that looked like giants against a giant. Arbeloa, in his first game in charge, and Madrid both faltered.
Despite giving youth players a chance and resting stars, the coach did not shy away from blame. “I am the one responsible,” he said. On the squad selection, he added: “I don’t regret it. I would do the same again.” Looking ahead, he framed the defeat as a learning experience. “I’m not afraid of failure. And I understand anyone who wants to call this a failure. Failure is part of the path to success. It will help me improve. It will help all of us improve. I’ve failed many times in my life, in eliminations tougher than this one.”
What did Arbeloa’s say after Real Madrid’s shock defeat to Albacete?
Why did this happen?
“Here at this club, a draw is always seen as bad, a tragedy. This loss is painful, and I’m sure all our fans feel the same. We knew the challenge, as we saw against Talavera. I am the one responsible. Regarding the lineup and the substitutions, I can only thank the players. Now we focus on recovery for Saturday.”
Did you miss anyone?
“I was convinced the squad I chose was the right one. The players we had were an excellent team. I have a fantastic roster, full of talented, standout players. With just one day under a new coach, it’s hard to get everything done I asked of them. We also need to get many players back to their peak fitness.”
Is this a failure?
“I said yesterday at the press conference, I’m not afraid of failure. And I understand anyone who wants to label this as one. Failure is part of the path to success. It will make me better. It will make all of us better. I’ve failed many times, with eliminations harsher than this. Now we focus on preparing for the next match with maximum dedication.”
How was the team physically?
“Losing is never a relief. That wasn’t our goal here. We have a lot of room to improve physically. That’s what Antonio (Pintus) is here for, to give us that extra edge. It’s necessary.”
Does this fall more on the players since you’ve only had one day?
“I saw players who wanted to win. I can’t reproach them. How they received me yesterday, the attitude they showed. We all know the expectations that come with this badge. Everyone goes to bed hurt tonight, but tomorrow we get up and work again.”
Vinicius looked frustrated…
“It was positive to see, after everything he’s done, especially following a long trip, that he wanted to play every minute. That’s the Vini I want to see, the one who takes responsibility. He’ll have brighter days and tougher ones. But if Madrid wants to win, we need his best version.”
Anything else to say to the players?
“I said it yesterday. Any Madrid player is highly self-demanding. The expectations are huge. They were the first to want to take responsibility. Tomorrow at 11 a.m. we’ll be back at Valdebebas. This club is demanding, but great teams show their character in these moments. We know what we want and what we’ll do. Time is not unlimited.”
Do you regret leaving so many players in Madrid?
“No, I don’t regret it. I would do the same again. I have an amazing squad. It’s a luxury to coach them. I’m convinced the selection was correct, and I would make it a thousand times over.”
Can this defeat leave a mark?
“I’ve lost many times. What really matters is the trophy case, the titles. I’m not here to pad a resume or to be judged better or worse as a coach.”
Two titles lost in 72 hours. How do you explain this defeat to the president?
“He doesn’t need an explanation. He knows more than I do. He knows this club’s history. We are a winning club. We’ve had painful defeats before, and here we always look forward.”
You said you asked for a lot in a short time…
“Yes, a new coach brings new ideas. I probably asked for things differently. You have to understand the context. What happens on the field is the coach’s responsibility. If the team plays poorly, it’s because I haven’t done it better.”
Most urgent priorities from now?
“We’ll face many teams defending deep. We need to be clearer in our ideas, especially on a tough day like today. We also need to recover all the players coming back from injury and get them enjoying the game again.”